Great chance to finally make that knife

[zambezi]

Recently I have dabbled with knife making and have previously assembled knives from component parts, but I have yet to make a knife from flat bar and to completely my own design. Well...last week I realised that the current social distancing is definitely going to throw up some uninterrupted garage time so I placed an order which was delivered two days ago ...



some 3.5mm flat stock 1095... a pretty mosaic pin... ...I dusted off the hardwood a local farmer gifted to me... ...got the forge out and......readied the belt sander




Some early design criteria:

• Knife is for deer gralloch and field prep [head and hocks capable]
• Small enough for Roe, usable on Reds

So my early thoughts are a hybrid between an Emberleaf Cael shape and a Ben Orford Nomad. So compact and portable, but with a deeper blade than the Cael and a longer edge than the Nomad. One defining design addition will be a very hard edge. I do not want to be sharpening as often as so many blades demand. I will make a rough pitch at 63HRc based on data on vendor's website. It might be a pig to get sharp, but it will hold that edge!

 

[malmick]

Will be interested in following your progress with this. A mate of mine made an Emberleaf Cael copy and it came out really well, very nice to handle and manipulate.

Best wishes for a fulfilling project.

 

[tusker]

Good luck mate keep us updated. i have 2 on the go as I cant go to the pub. I also made a copy of the Emberleaf Cael but I put a fighting fin on the top.
I like your linisher were did you get it.
Tusker

 

[malmick]

I also made a copy of the Emberleaf Cael but I put a fighting fin on the top.

Fighting fin, is that a serrated thumb hollow like on the Shrade Old Timer Skinner? Sounds interesting addition to a Cael.

 

[tusker]

Yes but not serrated. i will post picture tomorrow.
Tusker

 

[malmick]

Yes but not serrated. i will post picture tomorrow.
Tusker

Cheers

 

[kimh]

crack on chap, walk the walk, talk the talk and got the gear, take your time and enjoy the journey

 

[zambezi]

linisher were did you get it.

It was an Amazon purchase. Image is deceptive: it is diminutive. I think the belts are 20mm wide. A cursory rummage on Amazon did not find that model, but KK Moon make a similar design. You have to do hard yards with angle grinder and hand file before switching to this linisher for a smooth finish. One day I will make/buy a 72" belted unit to do the hard yards with more control.

 

[sako85708]

Recently I have dabbled with knife making and have previously assembled knives from component parts, but I have yet to make a knife from flat bar and to completely my own design. Well...last week I realised that the current social distancing is definitely going to throw up some uninterrupted garage time so I placed an order which was delivered two days ago ...



View attachment 153245 some 3.5mm flat stock 1095... View attachment 153246 a pretty mosaic pin...View attachment 153247 ...I dusted off the hardwood a local farmer gifted to me...View attachment 153248 ...got the forge out and...View attachment 153249...readied the belt sander




Some early design criteria:

• Knife is for deer gralloch and field prep [head and hocks capable]
• Small enough for Roe, usable on Reds

So my early thoughts are a hybrid between an Emberleaf Cael shape and a Ben Orford Nomad. So compact and portable, but with a deeper blade than the Cael and a longer edge than the Nomad. One defining design addition will be a very hard edge. I do not want to be sharpening as often as so many blades demand. I will make a rough pitch at 63HRc based on data on vendor's website. It might be a pig to get sharp, but it will hold that edge!

Had these made for me by a great guy Thomas I asked for a cael with a wider blade and a bushcraft type with a thinner blade for reds

 

[tusker]

There we go.
Tusker

 

[malmick]

@tusker Thanks from that, I can see the sense in that

 

[zambezi]

View attachment 153295View attachment 153296There we go.
Tusker

I am going to add that thumb ramp to my design. Perhaps with a little jimping.

 

[zambezi]

Today I started at the end so to speak: testing a wood bolster finish.

Some years back we laid an oak floor and it was sealed with a hard wax treatment called Treatex. The floor still looks as good as it did year one [bar one high-wear section in the kitchen] and has not required renewing. So I got to thinking that the same treatment that has given such good service on a floor is likely to seal a wood knife handle equally well. Perhaps better than traditional linseed oil which needs episodic renewal.

So today I dug out a Boker folder that my wife bought for me last Christmas. It is not an expensive knife, but takes an edge quicky and is very handy. However, the slabs are completely untreated wood and the brass pins quickly develop verdigris in sweaty palms.

I gave the bolsters and pins a bit of a sandpaper keying and coated them in the hardwax. It has brought out grain that was previously invisible.

That wax can now cure over the time I prep the steel of my project knife.

What I can then do is give the Boker some field abuse and see if the finish is durable before applying it to the chestnut/ebony slabs on the project knife.

 

[zambezi]

First draft of the blade design completed and shameless inclusion of Tusker's thumb ramp has made the cut. The image below contains other blades I carry and have used for gralloch [here and abroad] by way of size reference.



I assembled the knife second from bottom a few months ago and catalogued the steps on this forum. It has performed well on rabbits so far, but the edge is not as hard as I would like.

The stumpy knife at bottom is a surprisingly competent blade and has recently performed well in Namibia taking heads off both Gemsbok and Warthog . Maker declares 60HRc.

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

I like the design but for me i would drop the curve a bit like the second knife ,but thats me just for roe . nice one.doug

 

[zambezi]

i would drop the curve a bit like the second knife

Agree. 1st draft [at top] has a handle-to-spine axis relationship akin to a fish skilleting blade and is too upturned at the end. Of the two other designs I have, I prefer the "Spyderco-esque" looking blade at bottom. What say y'all?

 

[zambezi]

Herewith my last design attempts. I have picked one of the six shapes. Perhaps I should launch a johngryphon type "guess which knife" competition

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

middle one.

 

[Andyquadra]

middle one.

with the finger cutout, the handle is a bit thin on the top one

 

[malmick]

middle one.

Me too but I'd have the line of the bolsters on the lower front follow the line of the metal (where your forefinger would be, or your thumb if holding the knife upside down)